Decimalisation

Notes

The counting of new coins in 1971 signified one of the biggest changes in the currency system to be introduced in the UK. Even after 5 years of preparation and publicity on behalf of the Decimal Currency Board, some people in Britain still found the concept of decimalisation bewildering. Shops, in this case Woolworths, tried to make the transition easier by showing prices in the old sterling system alongside the cost in decimal currency.

In the "old money" system, our currency was made up of pounds, shillings and pence - 240 pence made a pound, 12 pence to a shilling, and 20 shillings to a pound. Under the decimal system, money calculations were to be simplified - a pound was now to be divided into a 100 new pence.

The day designated for the changeover was called "Decimal Day". The currency "D" day took place on the 15th February 1971 and, despite the fears, was reported to have gone remarkably smoothly.

EAFA CAT NO: 1883

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